AN investigation is underway into reports that 54 of the Filipino victims of human trafficking repatriated from Myanmar possibly left via backdoor.
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) urged stricter monitoring of illegal exit points in the country’s southern borders, where traffickers use small boats to secretly transport victims abroad.
Previously, one alias ‘Fiona’ was nabbed by the Philippine National Police in Zamboanga. Alias ‘Fiona’ has been tagged as the facilitator for the illegal departure of trafficking victims via small boats.
Too, the National Bureau of Investigation nabbed an alias ‘Jon Jon’, who was among the 206 repatriated from scam hubs in Myawaddy, Myanmar. Alias ‘Jon Jon’ initially claimed to be a victim himself, but his colleagues positively identified him as one of the recruiters for the company.
The interagency council against trafficking has released a study on backdoor exits in relation to trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants by sea.
The study recommended that local government units (LGUs) as well as local law enforcement agencies (LEAs) strengthen surveillance in areas of concern.
